1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a negative active material, a negative electrode and a lithium battery including the negative active material, and a method of preparing the negative active material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithium secondary batteries generate electric energy by oxidation and reduction reactions that occur when lithium ions are intercalated into, or deintercalated from, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, each including an active material enabling such intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, together with an organic electrolytic solution or a polymer electrolytic solution charged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
As negative active materials for the lithium secondary batteries, carbonaceous materials such as artificial graphite, natural graphite, and hard carbons; and non-carbonaceous materials such as Si and Sn, which enable intercalation or deintercalation of lithium ions, are commonly used.
Non-carbonaceous materials such as Si and Sn have a high capacity density (e.g., at least 10 times greater than that of graphite), however, due to volumetric expansion of the materials during a charge and discharge process, the capacity of the battery may deteriorate.